Bar and StoolsThe Thin Man At a mere 14 feet wide, this cramped spot barely has room for a bar top and stools, but the expansive white-marble slab and high-backed seats give an old-school accompaniment to the bar's modern infused-vodka concoctions. 2015 E. 17th Ave., 303-320-7814

FoodThe Cherry Cricket[5] How does a dive bar slinging burgers survive in chichi Cherry Creek North? The Cricket sells about 500 of its top-shelf pub patties a night to the students and suits who pack the bar looking for sports, beer, and beef. That's how. 2641 E. Second Ave., 303-322-7666

BartendersMy Brother's Bar For more than 100 years, the bartenders at Denver's oldest-running watering hole have struck the perfect balance: serving drinks, taking care of regulars, and making newcomers feel at home with their quick wit. No wonder Beat-generation icon Neal Cassady ran up a tab. 2376 15th St., 303-455-9991

CocktailsSteuben's[7] Forget the haphazard mixing of booze at most bars. At Steuben's, cocktails are crafted with a precision that is artful and, yes, intoxicating. Order the Old Fashioned. You'll thank us. 523 E. 17th Ave., 303-830-1001